Ron Reagan’s iconic commercial on behalf of the Freedom From Religion Foundation will air for the first time on “After Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson” for the next two weeks.
The ad, in which Reagan famously notes he’s an “unabashed atheist, not afraid of burning in hell,” will air four times per week on the show from May 6 to May 16. “After Midnight” airs at 12:37 a.m. Eastern on CBS. Host Tomlinson is an acclaimed stand-up comedian who rebelled in her youth against her intensely Christian upbringing.
In the 30-second FFRF spot, Reagan, who is the outspoken son of President Ronald and Nancy Reagan, says:
Hi, I’m Ron Reagan, an unabashed atheist, and I’m alarmed, as you may be, by the intrusion of religion into our secular government. That’s why I’m asking you to join the Freedom From Religion Foundation, the nation’s largest and most effective association of atheists and agnostics, working to keep state and church separate, just like our Founders intended. Please join the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Ron Reagan, lifelong atheist, not afraid of burning in hell.
FFRF’s “Freethought Matters” TV show conducted a memorable interview with the ever-quotable Reagan. He has received FFRF’s Emperor Has No Clothes Award for his lifelong identification as an atheist and his advocacy of the separation between religion and government.
After FFRF aired the Reagan ad on CNN during the Democratic presidential primary debates over the 2020 election cycle, he was credited with “winning” and became the top trending search on Google.
Eight years after it was first recorded, with “60 Minutes” as the intended ad placement, CBS finally agreed to start airing the ad in 2022, showing progress in the acceptance of freethought views. Reagan recently recorded a refreshed version.
“We warmly thank Ron Reagan once more for providing his inimitable endorsement of FFRF and our work to promote nontheism and get religion out of government,” says FFRF Co-President Dan Barker.
The broadcasting of this powerful ad — which accounts for 50 percent of FFRF new members — is only possible thanks to generous FFRF members who donate to FFRF’s Advertising Fund.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is a national nonprofit organization with more than 40,000 members across the country. It protects the constitutional separation between state and church and educates about nontheism. FFRF advertising is made possible by kind contributions from members. Donations to FFRF are deductible for income-tax purposes.
